ATA says Obama lacked specifics on highway funding
In his recent State of the Union address, President Barack Obama talked about supporting a new highway bill, improving truck fuel efficiency, building a natural gas fueling infrastructure and addressing labor shortages. But according to the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the President did not go far enough. ATA leaders were disappointed Obama did not provide…
ATA asks Congress to take steps on transportation in 2014
As Congress returned from its holiday recess, one of the requests members were greeted with is from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the nation’s largest trucking association. “This time of year is a good one for self-reflection and analysis,” said ATA President and CEO Bill Graves. “We hope our leaders in Washington will take the…
OOIDA files suit against California Air Resources Board
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court seeking an injunction against California’s Air Resources Board (CARB), saying the board’s Truck and Bus Regulation is unconstitutional and discriminates against out-of-state truckers. “CARB has overstepped its bounds by requiring trucks from other states to be upgraded in order to operate…
Agencies getting creative in battle against winter conditions
With severe winter road conditions hindering transportation across the U.S., state transportation agencies have proven they can be creative in solving the problems that come with snow and ice. Transportation agencies have turned to high-tech solutions like GPS guidance systems and low-tech products like potato juice to improve efficiency and minimize environmental impacts. “New technologies…
ATA’s Technology and Maintenance Council takes a look at future trucks
The Technology and Maintenance Council (TMC) of the American Trucking Associations’ Future Truck program has been looking at the future of trucking for three decades now and its latest survey of trucking industry officials offers up the following predictions: 1. Better fuel economy More than half the fleets in TMC’s survey think we’ll see trucks…
Oregon representative proposes VMT pilot
Blumenauer’s bill is designed to test a pilot of a transportation funding system that would replace the federal gasoline tax and offset expected revenue losses due to alternative fuel vehicles and higher gas mileage performance. Oregon has been a pioneer in mileage-based user fees, conducting several VMT pilots at the state level. The most recent…
As states look to export internationally, the shortage of truck drivers becomes acute
With many states looking to increase global exports, the challenge of moving those goods to port remains a real one. In Idaho, for example, wheat, vegetables and dairy products were among the top agricultural exports in 2012, according to the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. The products were destined for Canada, Mexico, China and Japan….
FMCSA audit finds weaknesses in cross-border program
A recent U.S. DOT Office of the Inspector General audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) found the agency lacking in inspection resources at the U.S.-Mexico border as well as having a computer glitch that has prevented U.S. states from uploading Mexican driver conviction reports into CDLIS. The audit also found that FMCSA…
NYC pilot program demonstrated off-hour delivery benefits
NEW YORK – A two-year pilot project recently completed by New York City DOT and U.S. DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) has found that having trucks make nighttime deliveries is an effective way of combating peak hour congestion. The pilot project was funded with a $1.2 million RITA grant with an additional $640,000…
